Decrease in Romania's population persists with aging trend accelerating

Romania continued to experience a shift in its demographic landscape in 2024 and 2025, with the country remaining a destination for immigrants while grappling with a declining population and aging population.

In 2024, the number of immigrants exceeded that of emigrants by 58,800 people, marking a positive balance of international migration. However, this positive balance was not enough to compensate for the negative natural growth of -101,800 persons that year. As a result, the resident population of Romania decreased to 19,036,031 inhabitants by the beginning of August 2025.

The decrease in population was primarily due to a negative natural growth, with fewer births than deaths. This trend continued into 2025, with a further decline of -102,000 persons, indicating a persistent challenge for Romania's demographic health.

Another notable trend is the aging of Romania's population. In 2024, the share of the elderly population (aged 65 and over) made up 20.3% of the population, and this figure has likely increased by the beginning of 2025. This upward trend in the elderly population is a reflection of the country's demographic aging process.

The demographic dependency ratio, which measures the number of young and elderly persons per 100 adults, stagnated at 56.1 in 2025, indicating a continued reliance on a relatively small working-age population to support the growing number of retirees.

Regional trends of migration within Eastern Europe were evident in 2024, with the majority of immigrants in Romania coming from Ukraine. This pattern suggests that Romania continues to be a country of immigration, albeit with a decreasing balance of international migration compared to previous years.

On the other hand, the share of the 0-14 age group in the total population decreased from 15.9% on January 1, 2024, to 15.6% by the start of 2025. This decrease in the proportion of children in the population contributes to the overall aging of Romania's demographic profile.

The process of demographic aging has deepened in Romania, as evidenced by the demographic aging index, which increased from 125.8 to 130 elderly persons per 100 young persons by January 1, 2025. This indicates that the elderly population is growing at a faster rate than the young population, highlighting the need for policies to address this challenge.

The urban population of Romania also saw a decrease, with the resident population of the urban area falling by 1.3% compared to the same period in 2024, suggesting a shift towards rural areas or a decrease in overall migration to urban centres.

In conclusion, Romania's demographic trends in 2024 and 2025 show a continued challenge in maintaining a positive population growth, with a persistent negative natural growth and an aging population. Policies addressing these issues will be crucial for Romania's long-term demographic health and economic prosperity.